Statistical Modeling and Analysis

Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. Cancerous cells are also called malignant cells. About 1,638,910 new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2012. In 2012, about 577,190 Americans are expected to die of cancer, which is more than 1,500 people a day. Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the United States. The five-year relative survival rate for all cancers diagnosed between 2001 and 2007 is 67%, up from 49% in 1975–1977(www.cancer.org). This improvement in survival reflects both progress in diagnosing certain cancers at an earlier stage and improvements in treatment. Cancers that can be prevented or detected earlier by screening account for at least half of all new cancer cases.